Marquise Diamond Engagement Ring: Why This Once-Vintage Cut Is Coming Back in Fashion

For years, the marquise diamond was quietly dismissed as dated — something associated with inherited jewellery or 1980s glamour. Today, that perception has shifted dramatically. The marquise diamond engagement ring is making a confident return, not as a retro novelty, but as a deliberate, modern choice for women who value proportion, elegance, and individuality.

Part of this revival can be traced to a renewed appreciation for elongated diamond shapes, but cultural moments matter too. When appeared with a marquise diamond ring, it quietly reintroduced the shape to a generation that had never seriously considered it before. What followed wasn’t imitation — it was reinterpretation.

In Singapore especially, we’re seeing more women gravitate toward marquise diamonds for a very practical reason: they suit slim fingers exceptionally well. When cut and set correctly, few shapes are as flattering, refined, or visually elongating.

Why the Marquise Diamond Fell Out — and Why It’s Back

Historically, marquise diamonds struggled with inconsistency. Poor symmetry, overly shallow cuts, and bulky settings made many older examples look awkward or oversized. Without precise craftsmanship, the shape exaggerates flaws rather than elegance.

What’s changed is not fashion alone — it’s execution. Today’s marquise diamonds benefit from improved cutting standards, digital modelling, and setting techniques that emphasise balance and restraint. The result is a shape that finally looks intentional rather than inherited.

This mirrors a broader shift we see across bespoke jewellery: buyers are no longer chasing size for its own sake. They’re choosing stones that look refined, proportional, and quietly expensive — even at the same budget. That principle is explored in detail here: what actually makes a ring look expensive.

The Selena Gomez Effect: Cultural Reintroduction, Not Celebrity Copying

Celebrity influence works best when it reframes rather than dictates. Selena Gomez’s marquise ring didn’t spark a flood of identical replicas — instead, it reminded buyers that this shape exists, and that it can look modern when styled correctly.

What we observed afterward at Diamond Ateliers was subtle but consistent. Clients weren’t asking for “Selena’s ring.” They were asking questions like:

• “Why does this shape look so elegant on smaller hands?”
• “Why does it look larger without being loud?”
• “Why don’t more people choose this?”

Those questions usually signal the start of a genuine trend — not a passing moment.

Why Marquise Diamonds Are Perfect for Slim Fingers

Singaporean women tend to have slimmer fingers compared to Western averages. That changes how diamond shapes read visually. Round and cushion cuts can sometimes appear compact or top-heavy on petite hands, even at larger carat weights.

The marquise diamond solves this naturally. Its elongated silhouette draws the eye along the finger, creating the illusion of length and slenderness. At the same carat weight, a marquise often appears larger than a round diamond — without crossing into ostentation.

This is why marquise diamonds consistently appear in conversations about choosing a ring when you want it to feel right, not flashy.

Key Proportion Principles We Apply

• A balanced length-to-width ratio to avoid a “needle” effect
• Tip protection that feels light, not bulky
• Settings that sit low and align with finger curvature

This is where bespoke design matters. Off-the-shelf marquise rings rarely account for finger shape, hand size, or daily wear.

Modern Settings That Make Marquise Diamonds Look Current

The comeback of the marquise diamond is inseparable from how it’s set. Heavy halos and exaggerated prongs anchor the shape in the past. Clean lines bring it firmly into the present.

In our studio, the most requested structures are:

• Minimalist solitaires with refined claw tips
• Modern cathedral settings that support elongation
• Subtle north-south orientation for visual flow

If you’re deciding between architectural styles, this guide on modern versus cathedral settings is a useful starting point.

Singapore Price Context: Why Marquise Makes Sense Now

While prices vary based on cut quality and material, marquise diamonds often offer better visual presence per dollar compared to round diamonds. In a value-conscious market like Singapore, this matters.

For couples choosing lab grown diamonds, the marquise cut becomes even more compelling — allowing higher clarity or better proportions without inflating the budget. We break down these trade-offs in our practical buyer’s guide to lab vs natural diamonds.

The key is not price alone, but how intelligently that budget is translated into visual outcome.

Is the Marquise Diamond Right for You?

A marquise diamond engagement ring isn’t about following a trend. It’s about choosing a shape that works with your hand, your lifestyle, and your sense of proportion.

If you have slim fingers, prefer understated elegance, and want something distinctive without being loud, the marquise deserves serious consideration.

This is exactly why we approach every marquise ring as a bespoke project — designed around the wearer, not a template. You can learn more about that process here: our bespoke engagement ring approach.

Explore Marquise Diamonds with Diamond Ateliers

At Diamond Ateliers, we design and produce 80–100 bespoke rings each month in Singapore, guided by proportion, clarity, and long-term wearability. If you’re curious about how a marquise diamond would look on your hand — not in a catalogue — we invite you to explore the shape properly.

Browse our engagement ring designs here: engagement ring collection, or book a consultation to experience the difference of a ring designed specifically for you.

— Founded and designed in Singapore, Diamond Ateliers